Why is SQ using their B772 on regional routes such as SIN-KUL? It is not more than an hour and I don't see there will be many passengers on this route? Why don't they purchase some smaller and short range aircrafts for their regional routes?

For CGK SIn they also use 773, 772 and A340. I suppose the load justifies the equipment, but A340 500 for this route ? I dont know if its permanent or just for some times. Or since it is such a short flight, rather than having it idle why not ?

The A345 is used for SIN-CGK also for crew purposes. On the long haul flights, the Captains are usually the ones doing the takeoff and landing, so the SFOs do not get the chance to do the landings and stuff. I think they have to have a certain number in a period, so the SIN/CGK/SIN sectors are used for the FOs to maintain currency.

Flourine...I see in your profile that you are fairly young and likely haven't traveled the world much. Yes, many, many people live in Asia and there is quite a demand for air travel between the many huge, thriving cities. Business is booming in Asia.

I think more fundamentally SQ has gone with all-widebody fleet of airplanes and, for reasons of network value, needs to serve certain important cities short flying distances away such as Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur with mainline airplanes. Hence you have A340 and 777s on segments that could be flown with RJs, Cessna 182s...you get the idea.

They have sloughed off some secondary flying to Silk Air (A320 operator) I believe.

A while ago SQ sought bids for a plan smaller planes than the 772 namely the A330-200 and the 764 for the reasons you mention. They ended up ordering more 772 if I recall correctly.

Obveasly they have high pax on that route. Or else they would use their smallest plane, the A310.
The thing is they only have the 772ER. Why didnt they order the domestic 772 for those routes?

Because a 772A can't do longhaul...?

Maximum utilisation of fleet is what makes profit. There isn't any sense in having a 772A doing shorthauls when a 772ER is sat doing nothing in the slack period between longhaul trips. If an airline has a route structure which means that an aircraft is sat parked for six or more hours between diagrams then it would be better to timetable some short trips into that six hours.

Commonality also comes into it. So instead of a 772A and a 772ER, two 772ERs makes more sense for an airline with a mixture of long and shorter range operations. Both aircraft are then capable of doing the vast bulk of the work and can be rotated for maximum utilisation.

....and for the purpose of adding to the the aforementioned posts: SQ's Trent884 powered 772ERs were ordered specifically with high-density/cargo regional routes in mind--- hence their permanently derated powerplants and lower MTOWs. Only the 9V-SV* series were intended for extended B-market routes.

What do you expect them to use, the B772 is the smallest plane in their fleet.

Furthermore, SIN-KUL does indeed have the traffic. On top of SQ's 6x daily B772 service, MH has 4x daily A333 and 1x daily B734 on that route. So we have a total of 11x daily between the two capitals. This is Asia dude. Widebodies everywhere.

Thank you for your point, Airbus Lover. SQ's smallest aircraft in their fleet is the B772. The A310 is no longer operational in their fleet, and is being transferred to another airlines (correct me if I'm wrong), and about 5 of them, if not less, are being stored in Changi Airport. Certainly, it's Asia, the continent with the highest number of inhabitants than anywhere else in the world!

I certainly have flown so many times with SQ, being a regular with them (with Star Gold status), I certainly enjoyed flying with them. Larger aircraft are more comfortable than smaller ones. And believe me, the SIN-CGK sector is often empty. This is because they have 8 or so scheduled flights per day!! I was in a flight once when there was only about 3 people per row of the aircraft, meaning that only about one-third of the aircraft are filled. Yet, they still fly with bigger aircraft!!

SQ is currently putting the 7E7 on the shelf, as they may consider the Airbus A350, or the A330Lite they call it, as a direct replacement for the A310, but that doesn't mean that they're not going to buy 7E7s. ANA, as a member of StarAlliance, is the launch customer for the 7E7s. What this could mean, is that because they're in the same alliance, they could be 'influenced' to buy aircrafts other airlines in the alliance uses. So I don't see why SQ won' buy the 7E7s.
The reason they bought more T7s is because if you recall back in 1995, they had a contract of obtaining 77 T7s, and currently, they have 55 in their fleet, meaning they have the flexibility of ordering 22 more T7s, which now includes the 773ER, though the powerplant is a bit of a problem. SQ uses P&W engines, whereas the 773ER uses the GE90-115B engine. But they are still obtaining them anyway, and we should see the first 773ER in Singapore colours in 2006

Obveasly they have high pax on that route. Or else they would use their smallest plane, the A310.
The A310 use to be the domestic aircraft but all their A310s have been retired and B772ERs now operate domestic

It seems that SQ will not order 7E7 as SQ prefers larger aircrafts.SQ have put off their decision for the B7E7.

I think what Airbus Lover meant with the B734, is not relevant to this thread. It is simply to prove his point, that Asia has a big market, and that even MH uses 4x A333 and 1xB734 a day. This is to prove his point, and he does not mean that the B734 is a widebody aircraft. I hope you could understand the circumstances.

First of all, there are no domestic routes in Singapore. Everything is international.

The reason for 772 being the smallest aircraft is that, SQ didn't want the A310, as it would increase the numbers of aircraft types in its fleet.

The 7E7 delay has been covered in previous discussions, but SQ wants to wait out and see what comes about with the low-cost wave in Asia.
Many routes less than 4 hours may become low-cost territory and hence widebodies may becomes obsolete in this sector. SQ doesn't want to invest in an aircraft that maybe too big for its original intent 4 years down the road.

Trying to be sacarstic eh? Get it right yourself first. You did not even read my post properlly. I was explaining the traffic situation on SIN-KUL.

Furthermore, SIN-KUL does indeed have the traffic. On top of SQ's 6x daily B772 service, MH has 4x daily A333 and 1x daily B734 on that route. So we have a total of 11x daily between the two capitals. This is Asia dude. Widebodies everywhere.

You've got to remember wonderful little island known as Singapore, is home to 4.2 million ppl. Now next door Malaysia has about 23 million ppl, with about 1.5 directly in the capital. within a short distance there are millions more.

So you are talking about cities bigger than the likes of Denver, Salt Lake, Seattle, and even chicago if you just count the city limits (and not the metro area because it extends across 3 states)

The thing is, singaporeans and malaysians are well educated and enjoy high standards of living. And as was said earlier, Business, is indeed booming. So yes... you can fill 5 777s a day. Remember the issue in Asia is slot restrictions. If that wasn't a problem I'm sure you'd see Airbus A320s or 737-800s doing on shuttles with half hr departures. You know....26 flights a day or something, but they just can't afford to waste those slots when they need to send jets to Shanghai, Tokyo and Frankfurt.

The only airports in Asia that are slot restricted is NRT, HND, & ITM.
The rest depends on bi-laterals amongst countries.

If the number of frequencies is limited between countries then it makes sense to operate the largest feasible aircraft. If there was no restriction to aircraft size, there could be smaller aircraft operated on short-range flights.

For most of the world, each country nominates a carrier to serve between the countries/cities. For example, why would Malaysia allow Air Asia onto the lucrative KUL-SIN when its own carrier Malaysia Airlines would suffer badly because of competition.

When governments let loose low-cost carriers on int'l routes, expect these carriers to introduce A320/737-class aircraft on most flights less than 5 hours.